Samuel waed fbancis



UNITED STATES y PATENT OFFICE..

SAMUEL WARD FRANCIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR CANCELING POSTAGE AND OTHER STAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,222, dated April 2l,1863.

' description of the same.

The object of my invention is to prevent postage or other adhesivestamps from being used more than once, by permanently defacin g them.The cancelingofstamps by writing or printing ink-1'. e., by writing orprinting over them the canceling mark-has proved inefficient. Stamps socanceled may be readily removed from the envelope or paper to which theyare attached, and the canceling-mark obliterated by means of chemicalreagents; and my invention consists, first, in the method of cancelingadhesive stamps by means of a cuttingedge or series of cutting-edges, sooperated that when applied to the stamps one or more portions thereofshall be cut out and removed Without injury to the material to which thestamps are attached; second, in the combina tion and construction of ahand instrument for canceling stamps by cutting, as before referred to,so that by one downward pressure its cutters or Scrapers shall beoperated and remove a portion of the stamp without injury to the paperunderneath; third, in the combination, with cutters operated by asliding handle, of a studded guard and support, so arranged that theinstrument is thereby caused iirmly to grasp or to impinge upon thesurface ofthe stamp to be canceled while the cutters are being operated,and to guard the cutters againstundue pressure upon the paper fourth, inthe combination, with the cutters of a hand instrument for cancelingstamps by cutting out cf and removingfrom the stamp one or :moreportions thereof, of a spring so arranged as to bear the cutter upon thestamp with a pressure requisite to produce an incision in the paper of adepth not exceeding the thickness of stamps.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures l and2 represent an elevation anda longitudinal section of an instrument embodying the principle of myinvention; Fig. 3, a bottom view of the same 5 and Fig. 4 a sectionalelevation of another instrument constructed in accordance with my saidinvention, being merely a modi iioation of the former.

The instrument shown in Figs. 1,2, and 3 of the accompanying drawings iscomposed ofa handle and of a rotary cutting device. The handle M formsthe sleeve to a spiral spring, K,butting against the head T of the shankF, and against a cap-piece, L, so shaped as to freely turn upon its ownaxis, (which is also the axis of the sleeve and the spring,) when in theoperation of the instrument the tendency produced on the spring is torotate it, and thus prevent friction and strain upon the spring. Thesleeve is closed at its underside by means of a plug, G, through thecentral orifice of which the shank F passes, and is capable ofareciprocating up-and-down play. The plug G is provided with a pin, H,protruding from the interior face of its orifice and tting a helicalgroove, cut into the surface of the shank. By this arrangement the shankis rotated within the sleeve, the latter is caused to slide on theshank, and thus impart to it a reciprocating upand-down motion.

lnstead of a pin in the sleeve and helical` groove on the shank, atwisted or helical shank may be used, of an angular, oblong, or othersuitable sectional area in connection with a nut in the end of thesleeve or handle fitting the shank, so that the shank when forced up ordown through the nut will thereby be rotated.

To the enlargementF ofthe lower extremity of the shank is riveted thecylinder or guard E, which contains the cutter R, and a studded spindle,A, around which the cutter revolves. The principal office of thecylinder, however, is to act as a guard to the critters so as to preventtheirbein g pressed upon or into the paper with a force greater thanthat due to the elasticity of the spring. The under surface oftheenlargement F as well as the head ofthe spindleA are convex, so thatthere will be but little friction when the shank is rotated upon thespindle, rendered fixed or stationary by the pressure upon it of thesleeve. The cuttingedges or critters are wrought into the end of a steelring, R, and are of such form and inclination relatively to the paperwhen applied thereto as to produce a shaving cut. The cutter is held inposition by a pin,D, screwed into the cylinder E, and entering a slot inthe cylindrical cutter, or vice versa, by a pin which is fitted in thecritters, and has a limited play in a slot in the cylinder, the objectbeing to allow the cutters to rise within the cylindrical sleeve untilflush with its surface underneath. The

spindle A is held in position by an intermediate spiral spring,C,resting on top of the cuttingcylinder and butting against the flange ofthe head. This spring G exerts a pressure on the cutters sufficient onlyto allow it to penetrate paper the usual thickness of a stamp.

The operation of the instrument will be readily understood from theabove description of parts and their adjustment. The instruln ent isseized by the handle, its cutters applied to the stamp to be canceled,and the handle is depressed. As soon as pressure is exerted on thehandle the points or studs on the center spindle impinge upon the stampand present and hold the paper immovably to the action of the cutters.Further downward pressure of the handle causes it to slide down alongthe shank, whereby the latter is rotated, but the rotation of the shankcarries with it the cut ters, Whose edges, actuated by the spring, haveslightly indented the paper. The rotation of the cutters therefore chipso the stamp an annular portion thereof, and thus irremediably spoil it.On releasing the pressure from off the paper the shank is pushed out bythe spring, and all the parts resume the original position relatively toeach other, as shown in' Fig. 2. j

Fig. t of the accompanying drawings represents a simplified instrument.The cutters in this instance remove a straight strip or strips from thestamp. They are formed on a curved edge of a bell-crank-shaped lever,the short end of which is connected with a piston-rod, A, and therebyoperated when depressed, which causes the cutters to vibrate on theirsuspension-centers. A spring, B, restingon a rim or studs, C,automatically closes the cutters after each operation. Points or studson the sleeve D perform the same functions as the stamps one or moreportions thereof shall be cut out and removed without injury to thematerial to which the stamps are attached, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination and construction of a hand instrument for cancelingstamps by cutting, as pefore referred to, so that by one downwardpressure its cutters or scrapers shall be operated to remove a portionof the stamp Without injury to the paper underneath, substantially asset forth.

8. The combination, with cutters operated by a sliding handle, of astudded guard and support, so arranged that the instrument is therebycaused rmly to grasp or to impinge upon the surface of the stamp to becanceled while the cutters are being operated, also to guard thecritters against undue pressure upon the paper, substantially as setforth.

4. The combination, with the cutters .of a hand instrument for cancelingstamps by cutting out of and removing from the stamp one or moreportions thereof, of a spring so arranged as to bear the cutter upon thestamps with a pressure requisite to produce an incision in the paper ofa depth not exceeding the thickness of stamps, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification beforetwo subscribing witnesses February 16, 1863.

SAML. W. FRANCIS.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN F. SLocUM, BENJAMIN MARSH, 2d.

